Constable Nick Mystery books in order

The Constable Nick Mystery series by Nicholas Rhea follows a village bobby in the fictional Yorkshire village of Aidensfield during the 1960s. The series inspired the long-running ITV drama Heartbeat.

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 Constable on the Hill 1979 Nicholas Rhea Buy
2 Constable On The Prowl 1980 Nicholas Rhea Buy
3 Constable in the Dale 1983 Nicholas Rhea Buy
4 Constable by the Sea 1985 Nicholas Rhea Buy
5 Constable Along the Lane 1986 Nicholas Rhea Buy
6 Constable Through the Meadow 1988 Nicholas Rhea Buy
7 Constable in Disguise 1989 Nicholas Rhea Buy
8 Constable Among the Heather 1990 Nicholas Rhea Buy
9 Constable Around the Village 1981 Nicholas Rhea Buy
10 Constable by the Stream 1991 Nicholas Rhea Buy
11 Constable Around the Green 1993 Nicholas Rhea Buy
12 Heartbeat Constable on Call 1993 Nicholas Rhea Buy
13 Constable Beneath the Trees 1994 Nicholas Rhea Buy
14 Constable in the Shrubbery 1995 Nicholas Rhea Buy
15 Constable Versus Greengrass 1995 Nicholas Rhea Buy
16 Constable about the Parish 1996 Nicholas Rhea Buy
17 Heartbeat Constable at the Dam 1997 Nicholas Rhea Buy
18 Constable at the Gate 1997 Nicholas Rhea Buy
19 Constable Over the Stile 1998 Nicholas Rhea Buy
20 Constable at the Dam 1998 Nicholas Rhea Buy
21 Constable Under the Gooseberry Bush 1999 Nicholas Rhea Buy
22 Constable in the Farmyard 1999 Nicholas Rhea Buy
23 Constable Over The Bridge 2001 Nicholas Rhea Buy
24 Constable Along The Highway 2001 Nicholas Rhea Buy
25 Constable Along The River Bank 2002 Nicholas Rhea Buy
26 Constable Goes to Market 2002 Nicholas Rhea Buy
27 Constable in the Wilderness 2004 Nicholas Rhea Buy
28 Constable Around The Park 2004 Nicholas Rhea Buy
29 Constable Across the Moors 1982 Nicholas Rhea Buy
30 Constable Along the Trail 2005 Nicholas Rhea Buy
31 Constable on the Coast 2006 Nicholas Rhea Buy
32 Constable at the Double 1988 Nicholas Rhea Buy
33 Constable in the Country 2006 Nicholas Rhea Buy
34 Constable on View 2008 Nicholas Rhea Buy
35 Constable Beats the Bounds 2009 Nicholas Rhea Buy
36 Constable in Control 1995 Nicholas Rhea Buy
37 Constable at the Fair 2010 Nicholas Rhea Buy
38 Constable on Trial 2016 Nicholas Rhea Buy

The Constable Nick Mystery series follows PC Nick Rhea, a rural beat bobby posted to the fictional village of Aidensfield on the edge of the North York Moors in the 1960s. The books are episodic rather than plot-driven, with each volume collecting incidents and encounters with local characters: farmers, shepherds, poachers, and visitors to the area. The tone is gentle and humorous, drawing directly on author Peter N. Walker’s own years as a village constable.

The series ran to 38 books published between 1979 and 2016 and was the direct basis for the ITV drama Heartbeat, which ran from 1992 to 2010 and became one of the most popular shows on British television. Walker served as a consultant throughout the show’s run, advising on 1960s police procedure. The books remain a defining example of cozy British rural crime fiction.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Constable Nick Mystery series?

There are 38 books in the Constable Nick Mystery series, published between 1979 and 2016.

What is the first book in the Constable Nick Mystery series?

The first book in the Constable Nick Mystery series is Constable on the Hill, published in 1979.

Was the Constable Nick series adapted for television?

Yes, the Constable Nick Mystery series was adapted into the ITV television drama Heartbeat (1992-2010), produced by Yorkshire Television. The show ran for 18 seasons and over 350 episodes, with the protagonist renamed PC Nick Rowan. It peaked at 18 million viewers in the UK.

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